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Indian Road Congress: Nitin Gadkari promises US-like road infra in Uttar Pradesh by 2024
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath announces the state will institute award to be given by Indian Road Congress for innovation in road technology
Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday promised chief minister Yogi Adityanath that by 2024, road infrastructure in the state would be akin to that in the United States.
Gadkari was speaking at the 81st annual conference of the Indian Road Congress (IRC) that Yogi Adityanath and he jointly inaugurated in Lucknow.
The Union minister made the remark soon after Adityanath announced that from next year, Uttar Pradesh too would institute an award to be given out by Indian Road Congress for innovative road practices.
“The IRC annually awards medals for innovative practices in road infra. Now, U.P. would add a medal to the list of awards IRC gives for innovative practice in road technology,” Yogi Adityanath said.
“Better and innovative road infrastructure model and safer travel is the need of the hour. Gadkariji often draws attention towards road safety. In 2.5 years, U.P. recorded 23,600 Covid deaths but annually road accidents claim between 20,000 and 21,000 lives in the state. Imagine a pandemic that ravaged the world after 100 years claimed 23,600 lives in 2.5 years while road accidents are claiming as many lives annually,” Adityanath said while making a push for safer travel.
“By the end of 2024, U.P. road infrastructure would be akin to the U.S. and we would be sanctioning road projects worth ₹5 lakh crore in U.P. by then,” Nitin Gadkari said on the occasion while making a pitch for alternative and green fuel.
“U.P. produces maximum ethanol. On October 11, I am to launch a vehicle that runs 100% on bio ethanol. Yogiji, I want to request you to ensure that over the next five years, the state ends its reliance on petrol and diesel completely,” Nitin Gadkari said.
“Yogiji, I want to make a request to you. Introduce fleet of electric buses and, if you do that, you would, despite lowering 25% ticket costs, still be able to implement the London transport system in the state,” Gadkari said while giving comparative rates for electric and diesel buses.
“I just launched a double-decker electric bus in Mumbai. The tender of a fleet of electric buses made to the Centre works out to around ₹39 per kilometre for a non-air-conditioned electric bus and to ₹41 per kilometre for an air-conditioned bus. My understanding is that diesel buses in U.P. are running at not less than ₹100 per kilometre while Mumbai’s BEST buses are operating at around ₹115 per kilometre. So electric buses would reduce pollution and increase comfort,” he said.
